| In 2004 the FDA approved an implantable, rice | | | | The chips, which are approximately twice the size |
| grain sized microchip for use in humans. The tiny | | | | of a grain of rice, were approved by the FDA for |
| subcutaneous RFID chip, made by a company | | | | human implantation in 2005. But the Associated |
| called VeriChip, is being marketed as a lifesaving | | | | Press has revealed that as early as 1996, |
| device. If you're brought to an emergency room | | | | researchers had uncovered a link between the |
| unconscious, a scanner in the hospital doorway will | | | | devices and cancer. Rodents implanted with the |
| read your chip's unique ID. That will unlock your | | | | chips were found to develop malignant tumors |
| medical records from a database, allowing doctors | | | | beneath the skin, usually surrounding the devices. |
| to learn about your penicillin allergy or your | | | | The rates were high enough -- as high as 10 |
| pacemaker. | | | | percent of animals implanted, in a 1998 study -- |
| The tiny, passive RFID devices are injected under | | | | to raise warning bells with the researchers, who |
| the hide. They do not contain the medical data in | | | | reported their concern in peer-reviewed journals. |
| question, but instead store a unique ID number | | | | None of the studies were looking for carcinogenic |
| that is used to access records on a remote | | | | effects from the RFID tags, but in each case the |
| server maintained by Applied Digital, using a | | | | researchers ruled out other possible causes. |
| handheld reader. | | | | Although there was no non-implanted control |
| VeriChip's biggest human-chip market is Mexico. | | | | group in many of the studies, the evidence is |
| Eighteen members of the attorney general's staff | | | | strong enough to convince many researchers that |
| were implanted with a chip in order to control | | | | more research is needed before any more human |
| access to a new government facility.* Building | | | | implantation takes place. |
| security isn't the biggest part of VeriChip's | | | | There's no way in the world, having read this |
| south-of-the-border sales pitch, though. Mexico's | | | | information, that I would have one of those chips |
| kidnapping wave the country's 3,000 abductions a | | | | implanted in my skin, or in one of my family |
| year are second only to Colombia worldwide has | | | | members, said Dr. Robert Benezra, head of the |
| led VeriChip to partner with the National | | | | Cancer Biology Genetics Program at the Memorial |
| Foundation for the Investigation of Lost and | | | | Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York. |
| Kidnapped Children. So far, 1,000 Mexican citizens | | | | This research review clearly shows cause of |
| have voluntarily had RFID chips implanted. | | | | concern over the mass microchipping of our |
| You shouldn't trust RFID to stop a kidnapping or | | | | population for medical purposes," explained |
| to save your life in an emergency. Perhaps a | | | | consumer health advocate Mike Adams. |
| more realistic suggestion is to use RFID implants | | | | "Intelligent, reasonable people will naturally reject |
| to replace the tracking bracelets now imposed | | | | such chip implants, which is exactly why the |
| upon those who a) aren't trusted to be in the | | | | company is targeting individuals suffering from |
| right place at the right time; and b) aren't given | | | | cognitive decline, such as Alzheimer's patients," |
| much of a choice: kids (at theme parks like Fort | | | | Adams added. |
| Lauderdale's Wannado City and Legoland in | | | | So far, 2,000 people have been implanted with |
| Denmark), the elderly, and prisoners. Though | | | | VeriChip's RFID chips. The company has identified |
| injection is unpleasant to think about, subdermal | | | | is target market in the United States as 45 million |
| devices are far harder to remove and, thus, far | | | | people, starting with Alzheimer's and diabetes |
| more reliable than an external bracelet. And what | | | | patients. |
| about the lighter side of chip injection? Patrons of | | | | Lastly, these RFID implanting has become a hot |
| Barcelona's Baja Beach Club now pay for drinks | | | | topic in the past few years. Early on, the dangers |
| via a system that links their VeriChip implants to | | | | of implants at least in terms of privacy and |
| their credit cards. | | | | security appear to be outweighing the benefits. |
| These small electronic chips approved by the FDA | | | | The biggest fear is that the tiny rice-sized |
| for implanting beneath human skin have been | | | | implants may someday become mandatory and |
| linked to cancer in laboratory animals, according to | | | | would then be used as some sort of Big Brother |
| a research review conducted by the Associated | | | | type device to keep tabs on private citizens. |
| Press. | | | | Some states, such as Wisconsin, have even gone |
| The radio frequency identification (RFID) chips are | | | | so far as to pass legislation banning any such |
| made by VeriChip Corp. They are designed to | | | | mandatory chip implantation. Preemptory? |
| carry a serial number, which can be read when | | | | Perhaps, but concerns about RFID implants are |
| scanned by anyone with an RFID sensor. Medical | | | | not unfounded. Implants can be read by anyone |
| workers can then use that number to access a | | | | with access to a RFID scanner, and hackers have |
| patient's medical history from a web site | | | | shown that the chips are not as secure as had |
| maintained by the corporation, provided they | | | | been previously thought. |
| have paid the annual access fee. | | | | |